Congress, MNF increased votes share in Mizoram

Aizawl, Dec 10 (IANS) The main opposition Congress has increased its votes share by about eight percent compared to the last assembly election in 2003 in Mizoram after it inflicted a humiliating defeat on the Mizo National Front (MNF).”The Congress has secured a vote share of 38 percent compared to 30.06 percent votes in the 2003 elections,” said Ruata, a spokesman of the Mizoram election department.

The MNF secured 32 percent of the valid votes polled compared to 31.69 percent in the 2003 polls, while the newly floated United Democratic Alliance (UDA) managed to secure 22 percent votes.

A record 82.50 percent of the total of 611,584 electorate exercised their franchise. In 2003, the poll percentage was 78.58 percent. The Congress won 32 seats, the MNF bagged three, while others managed to win in five seats in the 40-member legislature.

A significant feature of the just concluded assembly polls was the very narrow victory margins. The lowest victory margin was in Aizawl South-I seat where Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) candidate K. Liantlinga defeated R. Vanlalvena of the Congress by 28 votes.

State Congress supremo Lalthanhawla defeated his nearest UDA rival J. Lalchhuana by only 96 votes in South Tuipui seat.

The highest winning margin was in Tuichawng seat where former minister Nirupam Chakma of the Congress defeated MNF nominee R.M. Chakma by 3,112 votes.

The results of the Dec 2 election led to a new electoral history in Mizoram as no single party had ever secured four-fifths majority since the mountainous northeastern state attained statehood in Feb 1987.